The present invention is directed toward a device, and more particularly toward a touch-based device for processing information.
The xe2x80x9clook and feelxe2x80x9d of a device gives a user an impression how the device operates from the appearance of the device. For example, where the device is a handheld device utilizing a Windows 95-type desktop, for example Windows CE, the user expects the handheld device to function in a manner similar to Windows 95.
Systems utilizing Windows-type desktops, for example personal computers, typically use a mouse to select or expand menu items. The mouse is represented by a mouse pointer on the screen. The mouse pointer is placed over the desired selection or item to be expanded, and a button on the mouse is pressed to perform the selection or expansion of the menu item. A typical expandable menu item is shown in FIG. 1.
In FIG. 1, a menu item 100, here showing a value 105 representing the percentage of actual size that text may be displayed on, for example, a display for the personal computer. may be selected by placing the mouse pointer over a main information element 110 and pressing a button on the mouse. The xe2x80x9c▾xe2x80x9d symbol within the main information element 110 indicates that selection of the menu item will cause a expanded menu of, in this case, percentages to be displayed on the display. Because the mouse pointer is typically small, placing the mouse pointer over the main information element 110 does not obstruct the xe2x80x9c▾xe2x80x9d symbol.
Handheld devices also use a Windows-type desktop where the same structure for the menu item 100 and main information element 110 are used, but the handheld devices typically do not have a mouse. Rather, handheld devices use a touch-responsive display where selections are made by the user touching, for example, the main information element 110 to select or expand the menu item 100. However, it is not always intuitive on handheld devices where on the display the user must touch in order to perform a desired action, for example selecting or expanding menu items. Further, when touching the main information element 110 to perform the selection or expansion, the user blocks the symbol in the main information element 110, here the xe2x80x9c▾xe2x80x9d symbol, obstructing their view of what action will occur.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems discussed above.
In one aspect of the present invention, an information processing device includes a display adapted to selectively display a menu including at least one menu item, an information icon displayed adjacent the at least one menu item, said information icon showing an action which may be performed on the menu item, and a touch icon displayed adjacent the at least one menu item and within a touch-responsive area of the display, where the touch icon does not overlap the information icon. A processor is coupled to the display, adapted to detect contact with the touch-responsive area of the display and, responsive to the detecting, to perform the action shown by the information icon on the corresponding menu item.
In one form, the information icon is displayed as an arrow icon.
In another form, the processor changes a form of the information icon displayed on the display in response to contact detected with the area defining the touch icon. In a further form, the information icon form is selectively one of a plus sign and a minus sign, and the processor selects the form of the information icon as the other of the plus sign and the minus sign in response to contact detected with the touch-responsive area.
In another form of the present invention, the information icon is one of a plus sign and a minus sign.
In yet another form, the touch-responsive area is round.
In another form, the processor is adapted to cause a sub-menu to be displayed in response to contact detected with the touch-responsive area, the sub-menu corresponding to the touch icon and including at least one child menu item. In a further form, the processor is adapted to cause the at least one child menu item to be displayed horizontally on the display below the corresponding touch icon.
In another form, the menu is in the form of a tree structure, and the at least one menu item is at least one tree structure element.
In yet another form, the menu is in the form of a combination box structure, and the at least one menu item is at least one combination box element.
In another form of the invention, the menu is in the form of a table structure, and the at least one menu item is at least one table element.
In yet another form, the menu is in the form of a scroll bar, and the at least one menu item is at least one scroll display indicator.
In another aspect of the invention, a method for processing information for a touch-based menu-driven device comprises displaying on a display a menu having at least one menu item, an information icon corresponding to the at least one menu item adjacent the menu item, said information icon showing an action which may be performed on the menu item, and a touch icon corresponding to the at least one menu item and displayed in a touch-responsive area of the display not overlapping the information icon. Contact with the touch-responsive area is detected. Responsive to detecting contact, the action shown is performed by the information icon.
In one form, the form of the information icon is altered responsive to the detecting.
In another form, performing the action includes displaying a drop-down menu for the corresponding menu item. In a further form, displaying the drop-down menu includes displaying the drop-down menu as a horizontal menu having one or more child menu items. In a further form yet, a scrolling option is provided to view the child menu items